This invention relates to a poly(aryl ether sulfone) and a method to synthesize the poly(aryl ether sulfone).
Poly(aryl ether sulfone)s are typically linear, amorphous, injection moldable polymers possessing a number of desirable features such as excellent high temperature resistance, good electrical properties, and toughness. Due to their excellent properties, the poly(aryl ether sulfone)s can be used to manufacture a variety of useful articles such as molded articles, films, sheets, and fibers. Synthesis of poly(aryl ether sulfones) can be difficult—particularly when trying to control molecular weight. Molecular weight control has typically been achieved through the rigorous use of stoichiometric amounts but very small variations in the relative amounts of the monomers can result in significant differences in molecular weight. This makes consistent synthesis in a manufacturing setting difficult. Additionally, the polymer resulting from stoichiometric control can have a less than desirable halogen content, primarily resulting from the dihalodiaryl sulfone monomer. Furthermore, known, ordinary poly(aryl ether sulfones) can contain methoxy groups and are made with reactive alkyl halide-containing materials such as methyl chloride-materials that can raise regulatory and safety concerns.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need to develop improved, more robust synthetic methods that do not employ reactive alkyl halide-containing materials such as methyl chloride-materials and produce poly(aryl ether sulfones) which are structurally different from poly(aryl ether sulfones) made using reactive alkyl halide-containing materials. Additionally, there is a need to develop a poly(aryl ether sulfone) that can be made without rigorous use of stoichiometric amounts of the monomers needed to make the poly(aryl ether sulfone). Furthermore, there is a need to develop a poly(aryl ether sulfone) having low halogen content.